A mess was left on the shores of Lake Koocanusa over the long weekend and officials are leveling the blame at Albertans.
“This afternoon I took a tour of the Koocanusa shoreline just north of Kikomun Bridge,” said Heath Slee, East Kootenay area director. “And I was appalled at the level of disregard for the landscape, and disrespect for local residents.”
“Sadly, it’s a poor reflection on our neighbours to the East,” said Slee.
Slee suggests Albertans were mainly responsible for the mess left at the Koocanusa campsites but says local residents might also have contributed.
“I don’t like to point fingers because everyone has to share the responsibility but where I was here on the weekend there were a lot of Alberta residents here,” said Slee.
On top of discarded beer cans and piles of trash, Slee also said the forest was covered in human waste.

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John Clarke, Fish and Wildlife Officer for the Blairmore District, says the situation was much quieter on the Alberta side of the border.
He says there are spots on the Alberta side where youths usually cause problems, one of which is in the Dutch Creek Area, but there were no reported incidents.
Sgt. Will Thien, of the Elk Valley RCMP, confirmed that the province of Alberta cracked down on unlawful camping behaviour several years ago, which is why Albertans make the trip to B.C. for the May long weekend.
Slee says he’s sat back for a number of years and heard a litany of complaints from local residents.
“They’re so frustrated with the loud parties and music and destruction of the environment,” said Slee. “I hope we can get some enforcement.”
Slee called on residents to gather at the western end of the Kikomun Bridge on Tuesday, May 20 for a tour and a cleanup operation.